A Lesson in Music
by The Leaf 180
Summary: In which young Roderich is successfully introduced to music by a crude instrument, becomes attached, and Vash wonders where he went wrong as he tries to pick up the pieces.


**Can we all just agree that young Roderich is adorable, and concerned Switzerland pretending not to care is even more so? Gah, I love them. This is a belated Birthday present for Vash. Happy birthday!**

_In which young Roderich is successfully introduced to music by a crude instrument, becomes attached, and Vash wonders where he went wrong as he tries to pick up the pieces._

* * *

"Vash!"

Vash looked over, to where Roderich was eagerly running to meet him. He frowned, the boy appeared unharmed sans the scratch on his cheek, but what else could explain the urgency in his voice. "What happened?" He demanded as Roderich neared, "Are you hurt?"

"N-no!" The boy huffed, his eyes turning thoughtful as he pondered, "I tripped on the way over, but look! Look!"

Vash sighed, taking the item from the boy's soft hands, and narrowing his eyes. "What did you do to my slingshot?"

Roderich's violet eyes were wide as he gazed up at him, "I hope you don't mind." He starts sheepishly, his hands twisting.

He inspected it closely, there were strings added, all different sizes and thicknesses, and the original band had been tightened. "How are you going to launch anything with this?" He said, exasperated, waving the ruined weapon in his hands. "I send you out to train and-"

He paused as Roderich leaned forward on the tip of his toes and tried to reclaim his creation. "Let me show you!" He whined.

He took his new invention and plucked the strings with fat but nimble fingers. His amethyst eyes narrowed in concentration as weak tinny tones filled the air. It was too out of tune and grainy to be considered music, but he managed a simple folk tune. The strings went lax after he finished, and he set to work at tightening them. His purple eyes bright with pride and a hesitant smile played on his lips.

Vash sighed again. He couldn't help but be impressed that Roderich had created his own musical instrument, and made it sound relatively connected to something like music, but he was supposed to be training, not shirking.

"Stop playing around." He scolded. "Get back to work."

His charge pouted, eyes downcast and- oh no not again…

Fat, pearly tears cascaded down his round cheeks despite his efforts to furiously rub them away. "I'm sorry." He murmured, backing away.

Vash hung his head, holding out his hand. "Why don't you leave it here so you don't get distracted?"

This boy was never going to learn discipline if he played around all day and got nothing done. He hated when the boy cried, his tears always came too easily and Vash was always awkward at comforting. With that thought stuck firmly in mind, Vash reached to grab it, glaring at Roderich as he stubbornly held on to the ruined weapon.

"It's mine!" He protested, round tears endlessly rolling down his face. He clutched it to his person and shook his head.

Vash relented, "Fine." He grumbled, relenting. "Just don't let me catch you fooling around!" He warned as Roderich scampered into the thick gorse and out of the clearing.

Vash rubbed his forehead; he was never going to make any progress with this boy if he insisted on valuing music more than strength. Surely that would be his downfall, and he could play around with his toys all he wanted if he was content with being a chubby pushover for the rest of his life.

He was stubbornly holding onto the hope that he wasn't wasting his time, but it was hard to imagine this boy, with all his timid affections, introverted smiles and big, shining innocent eyes, as a hardened, ruthless empire, a resilient colony…

He smirked, a boy so childish, so irresponsible as to hold immature and crude instruments in a higher place than his strength, as an empire? Was he crazy?

Maybe the boy would reach greatness one day, but as long as he was dreaming and ignore his foibles, than he might as well grant him a talent in music too. He knew where this was going, this boy was weak and that would never change. He was softhearted and quiet. Once they had stumbled across a wounded animal, and he was too spineless to put it out of its misery, holding fast to the futile hope that maybe they could help it and it would be alright…

An empathetic, sensitive child like that, as a bloodthirsty, imperialistic empire? Vash thinks not.

* * *

Vash darted through the forest, forcing himself to slow down because he knew that those two devils would never harm him beyond repair, but it was enough to scare both of them… They had passed him unknowingly, or maybe it was purposely, speaking of big-eyed children and a useless slingshot that he seemed to hold dear…

And this was where he was now, for where those two roamed, violence and an injured Roderich seemed to follow. A sense of protectiveness surged through his veins as he skirted around a gnarled trunk, trying to reach the spot where he told Roderich to stay for the day so he wouldn't be distracted by Vash.

Whenever the two trained together, it seemed that he felt the need to run his mouth and ask stupid questions just to hear his voice… And what would he do if that was gone?

Such a delicate, irritable boy in this cruel world, it seemed only natural for one to take care of him. He was eager to learn and so trusting… It was foolish of him, of both of them, to believe that this bond would last, that it would take on the test of time and they would both make it out alive in the end…

He wasn't ready to let go just yet.

"Roderich!" He called, choking back panic as he neared the trembling figure of a boy in rags, kneeling down beside him; he attempted to unfurl his iron-grip on an object that seemed so familiar, too familiar.

The child looked up, his watery mauve eyes puffy and tinged in pink, he trembled inconsolably. His face was mottled with dark bruises and scratches, dust and dirt caked on to his features, sans the clean streaks where tears have spiraled down his pudgy cheeks. He buried his face in Vash's chest, murmuring garbled speech into his clothes, tightening his grip on his broken creation.

Vash pried to boy's arms off him, uncomfortable with the close contact, "Come on now" he mumbled gruffly, fidgeting slightly, "Tell me what happened."

"T-they!" He wailed, shoulders quaking, sending a fresh batch of never-ending tears pouring down his face, "They broke it!"

He took it from Roderich's grasp, inspecting it with narrowed eyes. One of the V-shaped branches was ripped clean off, the other twisted back and hanging by shreds. The strings that remained barely intact, though most of them were missing, were halved, curling at the base.

It was a pitiful sight, and Vash could only wonder why he would chose to get so attached to a pitiful fabrication such as this, but even more why someone would be so heartless as to steal away such a simple, harmless joy.

"It'll be fine." He offered awkwardly, "We could make another."

"It won't be the _same_" Roderich hiccupped, his shoulders hunched.

Vash sighed, he hated situations like this. He knew there was nothing he could say to offer solace, but he really hated to see him weep like this, it did strange things to him, an ache in his chest that he couldn't quite place… His eyes softened involuntarily as he hugged the boy.

"Can you stand?" He muttered, already knowing the answer.

Roderich attempted anyway, tentatively testing the strength of his legs, and Vash is not surprised when he staggers to the side. Vash tenderly scooped him up, and held him as the boy resumed his weeping, tears leaking out unstaunched. He tightened his grip possessively and carried him bridal style back towards their domicile.

He couldn't wait to get his hands on those little brats that made him cry like this…


End file.
